Managing Your Security System

Once your digital video security and surveillance system is installed it’s now time to for managing your security system. This is the point where all of the cameras are mounted in place, the power supply is mounted and the cameras are connected to it and the cameras are connected to the DVR and are ready to go.

First you need to check each camera to make sure it is aimed in the direction you want. The camera’s field of view is very important and some things need to be taken into consideration when managing your security system’s cameras.

If you have a camera with an excellent Wide Dynamic Range the background may not be as big of a concern as a camera without one. For example shooting into an area where the background is extremely bright can cause a white wash-out and the appearance of your actual subject as nothing but a dark blob. Once again, if the camera has a WDR this will be much less of a factor because the WDR will compensate for the bright background.

Another thing to consider when managing your security system cameras, especially Pan-Tilt-Zoom or PTZ cameras is to make sure there is nothing hindering the movement of the camera as well as any thing blocking the camera’s view after being panned or tilted.

If you have a PTZ camera/DVR that can provide tracking and following of objects, now is a good time to check that out to see how it works. Any other special needs the cameras may have should be tested as well. Are they intended to be used at night? If so you will need to check them in the evening to see how the field of view and infrared range work for you.

For those cameras that may be battery operated, don’t forget to install fresh batteries (fully charged if they are rechargeable). Make sure camera that are powered by a power distribution panel or transformer are plugged in properly and are ready to go.

If you have any cameras that are mounted high up in the air or in places that make it difficult to access, instead of using trial and error to set them up you may want to consider Security Camera King’s2.5 inch LCD Service Monitor with wrist strap Product# VX-WLCDM. Unless you like climbing up and down a latter for the majority of a weekend you’ll find that this is quite a convenient time saver and will worth the money. And speaking of monitors, now is the time to check out your connections to them (it) to make sure that all cables are connected and the monitors are mounted and turned on.

Now that all the preliminary work is done it’s time to manage your security system from the perspective of the DVR. Managing your security system from the DVR means testing each camera and setting any individual preferences for each camera. This is important because if you take the time to do things correctly here, you shouldn’t have to mess with anything again in the future.

Think carefully about why each camera was installed, where it was installed, and how important it is for a close shot or a narrow one etc. This will help you on how to decide to set the camera up within the DVR’s programming. Some cameras may require they work 24 hours a day 7 days a week while other cameras in your system may only need to record when they detect motion in their field of view.

Managing your security system also includes determining a regular schedule for you to check to see if it is time to backup (should you choose to do regular consecutive backups) so you won’t forget in the future.

We highly recommend that you visit our Video Vault where we have provided you with free, instructional videos on managing your security system, specifically dealing with the DVR. Here you’ll find apropos instructional videos such as “Video Management Software,” “How to Playback Footage at the DVR,” and “How to Enable Audio from the DVR” and many, many more.

To access these free training and informational videos simply click on “Video Vault” at the top of the page and you will be taken to the Video Vault where you can search and play a variety of different videos.